THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 19, 1997 TAG: 9701180032
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 29 lines
Having moved to Virginia Beach two years ago from ``Taxachusetts,'' I am painfully aware of the adverse economic effects caused by a fiscally autonomous school system.
By law, school boards set their own budget, which was then presented to the town/city, which had to raise real-estate taxes to appropriate the funds to meet the school budget. There was no negotiating, no audit, no oversight, no justification - we had to give the school system a blank check, which it filled out and cashed. The homeowners then had to ``deposit'' enough money to cover the check, whatever the amount.
This went on until the voters passed Prop. 2 1/2, ending this economy-stifling situation, but by then it was too late. Taxes had escalated to the point where people could not afford to buy homes, or to keep homes that they owned.
I urge my fellow citizens of Virginia Beach to carefully weigh the potential impact of giving taxing authority to an autonomous school board that has no incentive toward fiscal restraint.
The School Board, the teachers and support personnel of Virginia Beach are among the best in the country, in my opinion. Let's keep it that way.
HOWARD J. COLLINS
Virginia Beach, Jan. 11, 1997